1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automotive sun visors which are rotatively and pivotally mounted above the windshield. More particularly, the present invention relates to pivot rods upon which sun visors are pivotally mounted, wherein the pivot rod has a connection interface (conventionally including an elbow) which is rotatively connected to the roof of the vehicle. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a head impact energy absorbing pivot rod connection interface cover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Federal motor vehicle standards are being continuously updated. One area of current concern is occupant safety in the event of a crash. Occupants are typically violently moved in relation to the vehicle due to the inertial forces involved in a crash. Most vulnerable is the head of the occupants. Accordingly, FMVSS 201 has recently been upgraded to include a head injury criterion (HIC). In order for vehicle manufacturers to meet the HIC, additional padding of the interior trim must be provided.
One area of the interior of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle that is particularly dangerous in the event of a head impact is the elbow of a sun visor pivot rod. The pivot rod elbow is quite rigid, of a small cross-section rod stock which is sometimes plastic covered, and the angle is a sharp ninety degrees. An occupant whose head untowardly strikes the pivot rod elbow is likely to be injured because the energy of the impact will be delivered to a small surface area of the skull.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example of a conventional sun visor 10 is shown. The sun visor 10 is pivotally mounted to the main portion 12b of a pivot rod 12. As best shown at FIG. 2, the pivot rod 12 includes a connection interface that conventionally has ninety degree elbow 14, wherein an end portion 12a of the pivot rod 12 is rotatably mounted to the metallic roof 16 via a cap 18 which is fastened by screws 20. As an example of mounting, the end portion 12a of the pivot rod 12 is rotatably attached to a cap 18 in a spring loaded manner via a compression spring 22. The spring 22 provides frictional resistance as the elbow 14 is rotated with respect to the cap 18. There is a sun visor mounted, as described, at each of the left and right sides of the windshield 24 (only the driver-side sun visor being shown for simplification).
As can be seen at FIG. 1, the pivot rod enables an occupant of the front seat to pivot the sun visor 10 to a storage location A adjacent the headliner 28 to a deployed location B so as to selectively occlude the windshield 24 along arrow P, which pivoting may well exceed ninety degrees. Further, the rotation afforded the elbow 14 allows the pivot rod 12 with its associated sun visor 10 to be rotated from a location adjacent the windshield 24 to an auxiliary location C adjacent the adjoining side door window 26 via a rotation along arrow R, a rotation which may exceed ninety degrees.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is coverage of the pivot rod connection interface which will protect occupants from head impact injury in the event of a crash, yet allows the sun visor to both pivot and rotate in a fully normal and familiar manner.
The present invention is a pivot rod connection interface cover for covering the connection interface (ie., the elbow) of a sun visor pivot rod with respect to a vehicle roof so as to protect occupants from head impact injury in the event of a crash, and yet allow the sun visor to both pivot and rotate in a fully normal and familiar manner.
The pivot rod connection interface cover according to the present invention is composed of a base member and a cover member. The base member is affixed to the roof of the vehicle and preferably serves as a pivot rod support which allows rotation of the pivot rod with respect to the roof. The cover member snappingly engages the base member so as to be rotatable therewith and receives therewithin the pivot rod connection interface with the vehicle roof. The cover member has an exterior surface which provides head impact energy absorbance over an area much larger than that which would otherwise be the case with respect to a conventionally exposed pivot rod elbow.
The base member is provided, in a preferred form, with a central aperture and a plurality of mounting holes (eg., two screw holes). The base member further has a perimeter and, in a preferred form, a plurality of resilient upstanding tabs situated at the perimeter. Each tab curvably follows the curvature of the adjoining perimeter, and is characterized by a lower chamfer, and upper chamfer and a apex therebetween, wherein the apex is disposed radially outward in relation to the perimeter.
The cover member has, in a preferred form, an internal annular slot for receiving therein the upper and lower chamfers of the tabs, wherein the apex slidably abuts the slot sidewall. In this regard, the resiliency of the tabs, coupled with the upper chamfer allow the cover member to snap lockingly onto the tabs and the tabs to be slidingly movable all along the annular slot.
The cover member may be a single component or may be a plurality of components. The cover member serves to cover the pivot rod connection interface, as for example by receiving a connection interface including a pivot rod elbow of an independent pivot rod or receiving a connection interface of an integrally incorporated visor pivot rod. For example, the cover member may be composed of an inner cover component which is rotatably connected with the base member, and of an outer cover component which is connected with the inner cover component, wherein a visor pivot rod is connected integrally with the inner cover component and the outer cover component covers the connection interface of the pivot rod.
The cover member, in one form thereof, has an exterior surface of a generally hemispherical dome shape, having a portal which may or may not be defined by a flat-faced portal arch; and in another form thereof, has an exterior surface of a generally curvaceous shape with a flat-faced portal. Internally, the cover member has an interior hollow space defined by an interior surface. Preferably, but not necessarily, the interior surface is provided with left and right guide walls which are mutually parallel and straddlingly intersect the portal. Preferably, too, is provided a concave guide wall which extends between the left and right guide walls, and is located centrally relative to the annular slot. The left and right guide walls serve not only as an optionally included extra guidance for the pivot rod (pivot rod guidance is primarily by the portal and concave guide wall, if present), they serve as crush features which aid impact energy absorbance in cases where the impact causes deformation of the cover wall of the cover member.
Operation of a preferred form of the present invention for interfacing with a conventional pivot rod will now be discussed.
The base member is attached rotatably to the end portion of a pivot rod elbow at the central aperture, and the pivot rod is captured at the portal of the cover member. Screws then secure the base member to the roof of a vehicle. Next, the cover member is snapped onto the base member, wherein the end portion of the pivot rod elbow abuts the concave guide wall and is located centrally with respect to the annular sidewall of the cover member and the perimeter of the base member. The pivot rod side of the pivot rod elbow is guided between the left and right guide walls and exits at the portal.
An occupant can now pivot the sun visor on the pivot rod in the normal manner. Further, the occupant can rotate the sun visor to the adjoining side door window, in that while the base portion cannot move, the cover portion is rotatable with the pivot rod elbow as the sun visor is rotated in the normal manner.
In the unfortunate event of a crash, should the occupant be thrown forwardly in a collision course toward the pivot rod connection interface (ie., the elbow), the cover member will absorb the energy of the head impact over a sufficiently large area to limit the likelihood of head impact injury. In the event of the head impact that is so great as to deform or crush the cover member, the left and right guide walls will serve as crush features that absorb impact energy.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a head impact energy absorbing connection interface cover for a pivot rod of a sun visor.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a head impact energy absorbing connection interface cover for a pivot rod elbow of a sun visor, wherein the sun visor is both pivotable and rotatable.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pivot rod connection interface cover in which the pivot rod is integrated therewith.
These, and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.